Wandering
by rain.dribbles
Summary: Vera moves into Asgard's palace, her father the kingdom's newly recruited architect. She has a habit of wandering, appreciates the silence, and has a gift of curiosity. She's not special, but perhaps that's just enough to catch the eye of a certain prince. Loki/OC
1. Chapter 1

The cobblestoned streets beneath Verdandi Dalla's bare feet felt cool and paved with memories. She stood alone underneath dawn's pink glow before her old, shabby house and took a deep breath. It would be the last time she would see the home that had been hers for the last seventeen years.

"Vera," Called a deep voice belonging to her father, Biorn. "Time to go."

Vera turned to see a small, white carriage awaiting her. Her father, dressed in his most formal attire, sat inside besides her younger sister. She climbed in to sit opposite to her family and placed her small leather suitcase besides her.

_It's going to be a new adventure,_ Vera told herself optimistically. _Yes, think of it like that._Her little sister, Halldora, looked up at her with glittering, innocent blue eyes. Ones that only children of six years could give. She reached over to Hally's pale face and brushed back the couple golden curls that escaped from her bun gently.

After four hours worth of travel, they finally halted before Asgard's palace. The family of three all gasped in unison. There were fountains made of marble, statues made of stone, and enormous golden castle walls and doors.

"Well," Biorn announced and brushed off his suit, "This will be our home from now on."

Birds chirped faintly in the background, nestled in the blooming trees, unseen from eyes. To Vera, it was as if she were in a dream. Her feet ghosted through the palace garden, trailing behind her father obediently. With one hand, she clutched Hally's shoulder protectively in case her little sister wandered off.

"If it isn't Biorn Dalla," Boomed a rich voice. The three spun around quickly and all bowed deeply to the All Father. He shut the golden gate behind him and strode towards the new family.

"King Odin, we were just making our way to the North Tower."

"Yes, of course. And I trust that your baggage has been taken care of?"

"It has been, my Lord, and we are all very grateful of being received with such good care."

"It is no problem- after all, you will the palace's architect from now on and I see no reason to treat you with hostility." King Odin replied, his blue eye twinkling merrily. "And these are your daughters?"

"Yes, this is my first, Verdandi, and my second, Halldora."

"It's an honor to meet you, All Father," Vera smiled warmly.

"And I must say the same to you, Lady Verdandi," King Odin said and turned to the younger girl. "You as well, Lady Halldora."

Hally, being shy and introverted blushed and hid behind Vera's legs, much to Odin's amusement. The gate to the palace garden was creaked open and a boy slid in.

"This is my second son," Odin boomed, beckoning for the boy to come. "Loki. This is Master Biorn, who will be designing the South Wing Tower, and his daughters Verdandi and Halldora." Everyone bowed while studying the odd-looking boy quickly. He was slender and pale, unlike most of the inhabitants of Asgard's palace. Slicked-back raven hair adorned his hair, while everyone else had golden hair. His green eyes were keen and sharp, and his aquiline features seemed mischievous to say the last. "And I'm sure he'll be happy to show you the quickest way to the North Tower." The All Father clapped Loki hard on the back while smiling jovially.

"Of course," Loki replied, almost robotically.

"It was a pleasure finally getting to talk to you, King Odin." Biorn spoke as Loki stepped forward to lead them away.

"I'm sure we'll get to know each other even more throughout your days in the palace, Master Biorn." Odin said, "Now go! I'm sure you're all weary from your travels and I do not wish to disturb you further!"

"Those will be your chambers, Master Biorn." Loki announced and gestured towards the large, white doors at the end of the golden halls. He pointed to another set of doors down the opposite hall way. "And those will be yours and Halldora's."

"Thank you Loki," Biorn bowed politely.

"It was no trouble." Loki replied, bowed, and started to walk down the long hallways to leave the Northern Tower.

"You should go take a nap, father, I know you haven't slept in a day." Vera said, taking note of her father's weary face. "I think Hally needs a nap too."

And just to prove Vera's point, the younger girl promptly fell asleep leaning against her sister's leg.

"And what will you be doing?" Biorn asked, knowing full well of his daughter's adventurous and sometimes mischievous streak. He gathered Halldora in his arms gently.

"I suppose I'll just wander around." Vera shrugged. "Nearby though. I won't be long. I'll be back in time to get ready for the feast tonight."

Biorn sighed. There was no use trying to restrain Vera. She always found a way out in the end and enjoyed running free more than anything.

"Alright. Come to my room at six to wake me up."

Vera nodded quickly and sprinted down the hall at a surprising speed, leaving a weary father and dozing sister in her wake. She rocketed down the spiral, stone staircase and burst out the golden gates. Smiling, she took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh air of the palace grounds.

She made sure to nod at the palace guards politely as she strolled through green grasses of the courtyards. Underneath the sun, dreaming about the adventures she would have, feeling the cool Earth beneath her bare feet, leather sandals in one hand. That was the way Vera liked it. Being free.

Vera came to a halt before a small alleyway between two marble towers. The grass from the courtyard seemed to continue through the brightly lit alley. Absent mindedly, she slid her fingers across the bars of the gate that prevented her from entering.

Curiosity was Verdandi's biggest curse or… a blessing, in some cases.

The girl gathered her simple toga in one hand and dropped her leather sandals to the ground. She backed away a few feet before charging full speed at the gates. Using her momentum, Vera managed to swing her small body up and climbed swiftly to perch atop golden gates. She leapt off and landed with a gentle thud.

A garden- filled with fragrant, multicolored flowers of all shapes and sizes. Flowers she didn't even know existed, all arranged to create a wonderful labyrinth of colors. As if in a trance, Vera began to follow the carefully laid path until she came to a halt in the center.

Sitting upon the intricately carved stone bench that was placed in the middle of the flower garden was Loki. His back was facing Vera, and he was slumped over with his head in his heads. His elbows rested on his knees.

Vera cleared her throat awkwardly to break the silence and alert him of her presence.

Loki's head turned to look at the red-haired girl.

"Hello." Vera whispered, taking a wary step forward and pushed a few long stems of yellow flowers out the way.

"What are you doing here?" Loki asked while his back straightening immediately.

"I was just wandering around."

"The gate's locked."

"I climbed over the gate."

Loki eyed the girl carefully.

"I'm sorry I disturbed your peace," Vera apologized hastily and smoothed out her toga. "It's just that my curiosity got the better of me. Again. But this place really is beautiful. Is this where you come to just… sit down and think?"

"I suppose so," Loki answered, raising an eyebrow as the girl took a seat besides him.

"Well that's wonderful. Back where my home is- or was- I used to go up into the meadows and sit down in the middle of it. And I'd just think. Sometimes, being alone really helps my thought process." Vera said and quickly added, "Aurora Mountains, ever heard of it? That's where I used to live."

"Yes, I have heard of Aurora Mountains. It is quiet the distance from here." Loki replied. He didn't like small talk, but this girl was different. She always seemed to be distant and her mind wandering else where. Her voice was lulling and melodic.

Strange.

"I'd like to go back there now. It's almost sun-down time, my favorite time of day. That's when I'd go visit the meadow and sit and think." Vera whispered, staring at her fiddling fingers.

She looked strange too, Loki observed. Her teal eyes were large and doe-like, filled with curiosity and compassion. She was slender and her hair, the color of fire, cascaded in messy waves and tangles to the middle of her chest. Cheerful freckles were spilled over her nose bridge. Different- like he was.

Normal Asgardians had soft, blonde hair, an unvarying shade of icy blue eyes, and flawless skin. They were light and happy, while Loki was dark and mysterious. He didn't fit in at all, but neither did Vera.

"Do you like reading?" Loki blurted out, suddenly happy with the fact that they were both so different.

"Of course I do!" Vera's dreamy expression suddenly snapped back to reality. "Books of adventures and wars fought by brave heroes or heroines! And books teaching magic, I love those especially. Though I don't think I can perform any magic beyond the elementary spells."

"You can perform magic?" Loki asked, bewildered. He never met another magical being in his life.

"It's nothing special, though. I'm no sorceress." Vera sighed. "Simple spells like making water ripple without touching it, and making my hand disappear."

That was how Loki started realizing he was capable of magic, back when he was a young child.

"I see." Loki whispered, reluctantly drawing his gaze else where.

And they sat in silence, getting comfortable with each other's presence. Loki let his back slump, eventually, and returned to his thoughts. Verdandi let her mind go else where. Time flew by.

Loki started a bit when he felt the cool brush of someone else's hand brush against his own.

"I have to go," said Vera, getting to her feet. "But thank you."

"For what?" Loki, squinting his eyes from the orange sunlight.

"For letting me sit and think with you. I find it rare now-a-days that any one still shares thinking-time with me." Vera smiled, humor brushing her eyes.

"Perhaps… perhaps we should meet again." Loki managed to stutter out, causing the other girl to cock her head to one side slightly. "And perhaps we could talk more next time."

"Yes, I would like that."

"Until tomorrow then?"

Vera nodded.

"I'll see you here, at the same time." Vera suggested.

Loki watched her disappear amongst the flowers underneath the glow of the sunset.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey there- in these chapters, Vera and Loki are approx. 17. So sorry if I didn't make that clear! Please review and tell me how this story is going :) **

"What book are you reading?"

Vera's head popped over Loki's right shoulder, a tendril of red hair tickling his neck, trying to get a glance at the pages he was scrutinizing. The tiny, cursive words scrawled across the yellowed pages made her head hurt from just looking at them.

Meeting in the garden, at least twice a week, became a habit. They never saw each other anywhere else- Loki had his 'prince-ly duties', as Vera liked to call it, and she had to take her lessons from Madame Freeda, who taught her academics.

"Is it another magic book? What're you trying to do this time?" Vera poked Loki's cheek playfully after he snapped his book closed. He swatted her finger away.

"_The Theory of Teleportation_," Vera muttered the cover title engraved in gold and raised an eyebrow. Loki watched the spontaneous girl carefully. "I've been thinking… since you enjoy magic so much, perhaps you could continue your lessons with me."

"And what makes you think I want to go through another dislocated shoulder?" Loki asked, earning a scoff from his friend.

"It only took you two days to heal. And the only reason I hurt you was because that spell was dysfunctional."

"It was anything but dysfunctional, Vera. You didn't focus enough on it."

"Then teach me a spell that doesn't require that much focus." Vera said, as if it were the obvious thing to do. She moved around him and sat.

"Vera, you were only trying to change the color of my shoulder plate. I can't think of anything less elementary than that." Loki rolled his green eyes.

"Surely there's something easier. Like making water move."

"I can't just have you sit here rippling water. You'd pass out from the sheer boredom."

"Then teach me how to spar!" Vera exclaimed, her eyes lighting up at the thought. She jumped up. "Oh, _please,_Loki! Teach me how to spar!"

"Why do want to learn how to spar?" Loki asked, warily watching her jump around in excitement.

"I've heard far too many tales of you and brother sparring." Vera brushed the magic book off his lap and pulled Loki up, albeit with some struggle. "It's also good for when I finally get to see the rest of the nine realms."

Loki knew full well of Verdandi's dreams of traveling around the universe when she grew older- she wasn't like all the other Asgardian women, who dreams of marrying a man and becoming a housewife. No, Vera could hardly sit in one spot for more than five minutes. And Loki wasn't one who could tell Vera that visiting all the realms would be near-impossible.

"You want to learn now?"

"There's no better time!" Vera nodded enthusiastically. Loki smirked to himself- it wasn't as easy as she clearly thought it was.

"Odin," Vera breathed, panting hard with her back on the ground. She flung her arms out. "I think I'm done for the day. Or for this year, as a matter of fact."

"You said it yourself, Vera," Loki held out his hand to help the girl up, "Never give up."

"Easy for you to say." Vera rolled her eyes and rubbed her aching shoulder. "You're the one who just dodged every single blow I delivered for the past week we've had these sparring lessons."

"It takes practice," Loki said and resumed his fighting stance, "Now stop whinging and have a go at me again."

Loki wasn't the best teacher, nor did he have the best patience.

Vera sighed and crouched, her arms in front, ready for anything. After a moment of unsteady silence, she lunged towards his right. Loki side stepped away easily. She lunged again, aiming for his chest- but Loki danced away out of reach. She threw more punched, more kicks, but Loki always seemed to be a step ahead of her and slide out the way. She threw her body at his shoulder, but he dodged it easily. However, Vera jerked her leg around to hit the back of his knees, causing him to become unstable and wobble. She swiveled around and rammed into his side with her shoulder.

The impact Loki and Vera made with the floor was rough and managed to take the breath out of them both. Vera had landed, luckily, on his chest. It cushioned her fall immensely, though it did nothing for Loki.

"OH MY LORD-" Vera squealed, rolling off her friend quickly. She laid besides Loki, panting and smiling at the glaring, afternoon sun. "I did it! Loki, I did it!"

"You did," Loki panted, swiped the back of his right hand across his sweaty brow and squinted his eyes to observe the girl that lay to his left. Vera laughed quietly and rubbed her hands over her freckled face.

"I'd better get back for a shower, Madame Freeda would kill me if she saw me like this during her 'Lady Lessons.'" Vera sighed, nudging Loki's arm playfully.

"I'll see you on Sunday, then," Loki said, nudging her back.

"For sure," Vera nodded and sat up. "Perhaps you'll be able to take me to the sparring grounds where your brother, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three train."

"I don't think you're ready for that yet," Loki said while raising an eyebrow. Vera crossed her arms.

"I haven't the faintest clue of why you seem so against the idea of meeting everyone else in the castle. I've been living here for a month, Loki."

Loki didn't like it when Vera pouted, or when she complained. Though, she hardly whined about anything if she didn't have a good reason as to why.

"Perhaps."

With a victorious smile, Vera pecked Loki on the check and raced off- leaving her friend frozen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel nor am I making any profit off this. **

"Aha! And Vera has managed to take you down yet another peg, Fandral!" Thor bellowed jauntily and punched the blonde man on the shoulder playfully. "Well done, Vera! We _must_ drink and celebrate."

"It seems you manage to find an opportunity to drink no matter what the occasion." Vera teased and shook her head. Holding out a hand, she helped pull up a fallen Fandral.

"Besting me in sparring does not call for a celebration," Fandral grumbled and brushed off armor.

"I agree. Vera beating you has become more of a routine now. Why celebrate what you know is already going to happen?" Jested Thor. The angry color of cherries brightened Fandral's face immediately as Thor, Lady Sif, and Vera shook with laughter. Even Hogun cracked a smile.

The Warriors were lounging on the sparring grounds- a small field located directly outside the Armory Chambers, which contained thousands and thousands of armor pieces and weapons. Green grass grew abundantly and blanketed the ground- a good cushion for any tumbling or falling that was sure to take place whilst sparring.

In the three months Vera had lived at the palace, she had quickly made friends with everyone- her carefree, easy going personality was hard not to be liked. Lessons with Loki happened continuously, and slowly, Verdandi had accumulated skills in sorcery and trickery to be used in spars.

Sitting on the marble steps of the Armory Chambers, the trio heard the large, metal doors slide open with a hiss. Out stepped an annoyed Loki- always a dangerous sign.

"Why a sour mood, brother?" Thor asked, standing up to greet his brother. Loki eyed Thor's mussed hair, mud-spotted cheek, and scratched armor disdainfully, before sidestepping away from a crushing embrace.

"Vera has managed to beat Fandral in yet another spar," announced Thor, clasping Loki on the back and hardly noticing the fact that he had escaped every other opportunity to make physical contact with him.

"You forget that I'm the one who taught her, so I'm hardly surprised," Loki scoffed arrogantly.

"Where have you been all day? I haven't seen you since breakfast," Vera said, holding her hand to beckon for the God of Mischief to sit besides her.

"Wasting his life away," Lady Sif cut in before Loki could open his mouth.

"Actually," Loki shot a glare at the lady warrior, "I wouldn't consider learning about thermonuclear astrophysics a waste of time. What have _you_ been doing all day?"

"Training," Replied Sif while dragging a blade sharpener across her dagger more vigorously than necessary

"While you could be reading a book and learning something useful. Who's the one wasting their lives away?"

"I don't see the point in reading-"

"Which is why you aspire to become a 'warrior' and not of some profession more notable and educational."

"I wasn't done-"

"_Honestly, when will you two _ever_ be done?_" Vera exclaimed and threw her hands up exasperatedly. "Loki- it isn't kind to bash on other's ambitions. And you'd do well to remember that, seeing that I have _similar_ dreams." Lady Sif beamed at her friend. "Sif- you should know by now that arguing with Loki is like trying to get a mountain to shift." Loki smirked. "Now if we could _please_ stop arguing like six year olds…"

Everyone remained silent for a while longer, before resuming their activities- with Sif grumbling to herself and sharpening her weapons, Hogun turning back to his target and reloading his bow, Volstagg searching for a heavier weight, Fandral examining a spear with a beet-red face.

Having grabbed Loki's hand before he could get up and leave, the boy sat down once more not daring to meet Verdandi's gray eyes.

"I'm sorry for that… I've been feeling extra irritable recently," Vera whispered, her voice vaguely audible under the hustle and bustle of the others.

There was an unsure pause between the two as they watched Thor throw a spear further than Fandral.

"How have your practices in magic been?" Loki asked in a low voice. Others did not support their magic lessons.

"Three months have already passed since I've started learning, and I am still getting no where."

"Perhaps patience is all you need."

"But I want to learn how to render myself invisible, like you do," whined Vera as she nudged Loki's arm.

"That took me _years_ to accomplish. Surely you can't expect yourself to be able to do that in three months." Loki exclaimed, giving her an unbelieving look. "Regardless of how amazing your teacher is."

"Anyways, I must leave. The potion I've been brewing cannot be left simmering for any longer." Loki said finally after yet another silence. He stood up and smoothed out his leather pants quickly.

"And I'm assuming you're going to be missing dinner in the Great Hall yet again?" Vera said as she got up.

"They won't miss me," Whispered Loki, "Thor will be there."

The two locked eyes for a fraction of a second more, before Loki turned and strode away with a quick, elegant ease. Sighing, Vera let her eyes drop once more.

"Oi- Vera! Has Loki bummed you down as well?" Lady Sif called out, gazing at her friend with a hand over her eyes to shield the bright, afternoon sun.

"Impossible- Vera can never be sad!" Thor bellowed while twirling his spear. "Perhaps a swim in the lake would cheer you up!"

Vera gave a wry smile. It was hard to believe how oblivious Thor was to his brother's feelings. It was hard to believe how nearly _everyone_ seemed oblivious to Loki's emotions. She eyed the God of Thunder's bright blue eyes- glittering like a child's- and tousled, golden hair- which altogether gave the uncanny impression of a hopeful puppy- and couldn't help but nod.

"At sun down then," cried Thor, raising his fist in the air victoriously. "And I shall bring wine to celebrate your success over Fandral!"

Fandral scowled. Hogun blinked without emotion. Lady Sif nodded happily. Volstagg's jolly face brightened at the idea of wine. Thor grinned like a doofus. And Vera couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for having such optimistic, caring friends as them. The only thing missing from that picture was, of course, Loki.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please, please, please review. Feedback is much appreciated :)


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